


Change of Style (Dress Up, Dress Down)

by ximeria



Series: 2014 Fic-A-Week (all the XMFC AUs) [12]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Dating, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-16 17:27:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1355743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ximeria/pseuds/ximeria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles wanted to do things a little differently on this date. Erik's always the one who's worn the well-tailored suits while Charles tended to be less formal in the way he dressed. How was he to know that Erik had made the same observations?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Change of Style (Dress Up, Dress Down)

**Author's Note:**

> Spurred by the fact that both men look good in formal as well as casual wear? Is there really more incentive needed?

Charles stared at himself in the mirror and felt… off. He hadn't worn designer suits like this one for almost a decade. Not since he'd left the house in Westchester. Not since Kurt Marko had thrown him out. He was no longer the scared kid he'd been. He'd become a student, done his work, started his own company and was a name to be reckoned with within genetic research, genetic therapy. Not to mention mutant rights. In the beginning he hadn't had the money for fancy threads, then when he'd started making money, he'd been too busy to really focus all that much on his wardrobe.

So why the heck was he scared of a date night? It wasn't even really his and Erik's first. They'd gone out before, lunches, brunches, dinners.

Tonight wasn't even a more fancy restaurant than usual. They weren't normally to Erik's liking and Charles was all too happy to oblige. Which meant he tended to wear jeans and a cardigan most of the time they went out. A nice jacket when he was feeling adventurous. The image staring back at him was black on black. Something he wouldn't normally have considered, but Raven had promised him he could pull off the look.

"Stop woolgathering," he told his own reflection, a moment before the knock to his door. Which reminded him, he'd thought about giving Erik a key, hadn't he? Maybe he should broach that subject tonight? Not that the thought was making him feel any less nervous than his wardrobe. Of course, it was more the symbolism of a key because Erik didn't really need-

The knock came again.

Charles cursed himself and grabbed his key, mobile phone and wallet, heading for the door. Pulling it open, he was about to say 'You could've let yourself in', but the words died in his throat.

Erik raised an eyebrow and waited. He also took his time looking Charles up and down.

Charles opened his mouth, then shut it again.

"Crossed wires?" Erik asked with a smirk, his eyes lingering at Charles waist.

"I thought I'd ...dress up?" Charles said, not able to tear his eyes away from Erik's outfit. Gone was the suit he usually wore. The well-tailored one that had prompted Charles to put a lot more effort into his wardrobe for the night.

In its stead was a pair of indecently tight blue jeans, fraying at the hem where they hugged the shaft of a pair of leather boots. The tight black t-shirt didn't exactly ruin the picture, but it was the leather jacket that really made Charles sit up and take notice.

Erik backed him in through the door and shut it behind him - no hands involved, just a flick of the wrist and they were in complete privacy.

"I thought I might have come across a little too starched the times we've been out," Erik admitted as he touched the tip of two fingers to the lapel of Charles jacket. "And all along I had no idea you could out-dress me in formal wear."

Charles laughed at this. "I like your suits, Erik, I really do - I just never expected you to even _own_ a leather jacket."

"I can go home and change," Erik offered, for the first time looking a little uncertain.

"No!" Charles grabbed the lapel of the leather jacket and held on. "Don't. I'm just saying it's a bit out of the ordinary to see you like this, but it's not a _bad_ surprise."

"No?" Erik seemed to relax.

"No," Charles repeated, shaking his head. 'Would you hold it against me if I asked you to screw me in nothing but that jacket - and consequently- "Can we stay in tonight?" Charles feared for a moment that he might have projected the first part of that.

Erik laughed, but there was a shine to his eyes that made Charles burn harder. "Nu-uh, Charles - you're dressed up like this, looking like you stepped out of GQ - I'm going to take you out, show you off."

Charles felt his face burn. It wasn't unpleasant, but he most certainly wasn't used to being paraded around like a trophy. "Who says I want anyone to see you looking the way you do?" he retorted. "And I meant it. We don't have to go out tonight."

"I know," Erik said, tapping his temple. His grin softened and there was an unmistakable flush to his cheeks.

Charles realized he might possibly have projected his reaction to seeing Erik, not to mention what he'd like him to do in the leather jacket, afterall. "I'm not apologizing for that," he said, trying to sound more self assured than he felt.

"I'm not expecting you to," Erik said, re-opening the door with a small gesture. "And I can promise you that I'll do just that when we get back - after dinner. Just the jacket. Ever heard of delayed gratification?"

Charles reached out and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "I have - doesn't mean I'm good at it."

"You'll learn," Erik said with a wink, before pulling him out the door. "I think this just goes to show how much more we still have to learn about each other - I'm sure you can learn a little patience while we're at it."

Charles laughed as he let himself be dragged along the hallway outside his apartment. "I get the feeling if anyone _can_ teach me, it'll be you." And he was damned sure he'd enjoy it too.

The end


End file.
